STOW: Mayor Sara Drew hosted the second annual reception for all city board and commission members Wednesday evening at City Hall.
This is a notable year for the city’s service members; Bal Rao, an urban forestry commission member and John Mihelick, a planning commission member, were recognized at the reception by Drew for their 22 years of service.
Drew said, it was because of people like Rao and Mihelick who were willing to give their time that the city was able to accomplish so much. She said that she was grateful for their time and their service to the community.
Rao said that he found his 22 years of working with the City of Stow as an excellent experience and had good working relations among city workers.
According to the city's website, the Urban Forest Commission plays an important role in Stow’s landscape as an extension of the Urban Forestry Department. The responsibilities of the Urban Forestry Commission are to provide the citizens of with environmental, economic, aesthetic and social benefits of an actively managed sustainable urban forest by employing best management practices.
The city’s forestry department is responsible for the planting, maintenance and removal of all trees in the Stow’s right-of-way as well as the review, approval and inspection of vegetative plantings and trees at new commercial, industrial and multi-family sites as required by City Council.
Mihelick, a civil engineer, has been a member of the Planning Commission for 22 years, in non- consecutive terms.
"It has been a good experience," Mihelick said. "We have a lot of people on the commission who have a lot of experience and that do their homework.
"We are planning for the whole city," he said.
Mihelick said that the commission has come up with some really good, long-term planning for the city through the years and has found it to be a rewarding experience.
